25 & Trying

Magical Urbanism

Magical Urbanism: Latinos Reinvent the U.S. City

Going back to my roots! With my most recent book purchase, I found myself longing for my undergrad and grad days of urban planning and affairs. I have been studying cities since halfway through college when I took my first Metropolitan Studies class at NYU. They have always fascinated me – and are also a wonderful gateway to look at many different aspects of our society: race issues, class issues, sustainability and the environment, politics, transit, and even cultural traditions. All of these stem from the fact that cities are multiplying at an astounding rate worldwide.

When I took my first class back in college, we talked about a variety of the big players in urban studies: Jane Jacobs, Robert Moses, Le Corbusier and others. They were powerful personalities, full of different ideas of what a city stands for, and what a city should be.

The book I’ve just finished – by Los Angeles guru Mike Davis – focuses on the Latino communities of the United States and how diverse they really are. From Puerto Ricans to Dominicans to Mexicans, each unique group has had a different experience in the United States. His study talks about racism, immigration laws, and all of the many dynamic elements that make Latinos a part of the American culture.

One of the reasons I chose to read this book was the fact that SO MUCH of my work lately has been focused on what I will do next…where I will travel and what I will find there. I have been exploring different paths for my career and my life, and studying the populations of the world makes me so much more intrigued – and frankly, concerned. Davis sheds light on what most of us can already guess at: low wages, awful jobs, and a level of racism that separates many Latinos from the rest of American society.

Near where I work, there is a paint store across the street from a luxury condo building and a Whole Foods. It is the pinnacle of a yuppy neighborhood. And every day, dozens of men gather and wait for day labor jobs. The contrast of the two activities in the same place is really stark. It makes me think a lot about how many different cultures and groups of people rub up against each other every day – and how little attention we pay to that.

I think everyone should read SOME type of urban policy book. Read a case study about a city you love – and think about the ways you can change it for the better. Or at least you’ll learn something about what you have already been exposed to.